Critical Mass, Again

Yet another San Diego media outlet has joined the conversation about Critical Mass. Armando Cordoba of the San Diego Entertainer writes about his impressions of Critical Mass as a protest movement, unlike Keegan Kyle of Voice of San Diego, who focuses on the public safety threat.

It has shown us that with a little forethought and ingenuity you can make a change, maybe not a change that you are looking for, but that’s how things go when you have revolutionary protests. No, you won’t get a speedy expedited process of convincing people to throw their cars away for a bike, but you will get them to think about it.

Although at times simplistic, Cordoba’s piece is a counterpoint to Kyle’s harping on the negative aspects of the ride, and a good reminder to Mass riders that the movement is supposed to have a purpose behind the excitement and chaos. It’s also an indication that Critical Mass is gaining a higher profile in San Diego. This is neither uniformly positive nor uniformly negative for other bicyclists. The lack of consensus in media reporting about the event reflects the city’s own ambivalence toward bicycling generally. Some love it, some hate it, few take the time to truly think about it. Our city is experiencing an awkward teenage phase in its transition to a truly bicycle-friendly city, and we’re bound to encounter the usual teen drama. And like the teenage years, it’s going to seem like it takes forever.